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www.africaspeaks.com/articles/2004/2104.html
The term Repatriation to Africans is no Semantics
Taken from a reasoning on Rastafari Speaks Message Board
The threads for this reasoning are linked here
By Ayanna
April 21, 2004
Ras adam said: "I stand by my assertion that an issue that is so small (1, maybe a few other,whites on the land and I dont see a big herd heading there)that TO ME
seems that it's a non issue (IN MY OPINION)."
The issue is about what us Africans refer to as Repatriation or the 'Back to Africa Movement'. That is what the thread started on, and you came and personalized the discussion. You implied that the discussion of your particular project took precedence over a general discussion pertinent to African people. You made it seem to be about your one or two white persons on your preferred section of Ethiopia. For us Africans, Repatriation is about all of Africa.
Some of us heard other Whites speak of repatriation as if they were ghetto blacks that were forcefully removed from Africa. This, we are saying, needs clearing up, and if you feel it is a non-issue that is certainly your opinion, but I stand by my assertion that you were out of place to try to trivialize an issue about Africans in an African Based Movement. (JUST MY OPINION)
In one of my earlier responses to your idea of a few people in a small part of Ethiopia, I said, "Maybe you would like us to stay quiet and not discuss it until the numbers grow and there is a serious problem on our hands."
The Repatriation movement is not about just Ethiopia or one tiny portion of Africa to which you tried to narrow the focus of this discussion. It involves all of Africa, and as Tyehimba said, "…why should Africans subscribe to the division lines of Africa that was done by Europeans in the Berlin conference of 1889. Africa is Africa and in fact the word Ethiopia is used to denote the whole of Africa. Garvey especially used the word Ethiopia to mean the whole of Africa, but apparently some are confused and took repatriation to Ethiopia to mean going back to small portion of Africa that is called Ethiopia."
But it was almost as if you wanted to hijack the discussions while using the Black Faces in front the website of your preferred charity project to mask the true meaning of our discussion.
Given some of the views expressed here it is clear that many people never thought out this issue. I am not saying that you did all of this, or all the distortions were yours. But it was you that chose to narrow the discussion and make it a personal one with your idea of what was important and what was not, and also by focusing on one part of Ethiopia. Clearly people do see this discussion as quite important, no matter what view they may have on it.
As usual issues pertinent to the liberation of African people will continue to be raised
Posted By: ras adam simeon
Date: Wednesday, 21 April 2004, at 8:25 p.m.
In Response To: The term Repatriation to Africans is no Semantics (yan)
Sis Yan,
I get what your saying. Repatriation in general is for the whole Continent. From the title of this board one would think this board was about Rastafari reasoning and Rastafari has always had and currently has a focus on Ethiopia and specifically Shashamene Land. (The Bobo Shanti Ethiopian Black International Congress are also focusing on Ghana and maybe Liberia.) So that was where i was coming from in seeing a repat post on a Rasta board. If it was on Africa Speaks I wouldn't have focused on Ethiopia. If this is NOT a rasta board, please let me know and i'll look somewhere else for rasta reasoning. ras a
Posted By: yan
Date: Wednesday, 21 April 2004, at 9:04 p.m.
In Response To: The term Repatriation to Africans is no Semantics (ras adam simeon)
I hope we do not have to go over the nature of these Boards, which was well spoken about and published. No one ever stopped different views on Rasta or Rastafari from being reasoned here. I disagreed with your comments and attempt to trivialize this reasoning.
Is repatriation to Africa a 'special' kind of repatriation when it involves Rasta? Maybe to some because to them it includes the missionary component, but I know other Rastas who are quite different.
How is it now 'not Rasta' to talk about Africa as a whole?
Wasn't it Bob Marley who sang 'Africa Unite'?
Who really is trying to perpetuate divisiveness, especially among Africans?
Are you now saying it is not appropriate on a Rasta board to talk about all African issues, and ones are 'not Rasta' if they do?
I am sure there are many Rasta boards available, maybe you would feel happier there, and then you would not have to be made uncomfortable by all these pesky pro-Blacks, Blacks.
I hope the rest of the readers on this board take note of your post and gain an appreciation for the concern Blacks have shown over this issue. Leave it to some whites, and the only "Africa" which is of any concern is a romanticized 'Ethiopia'.
Posted By: ras adam simeon
Date: Wednesday, 21 April 2004, at 9:53 p.m.
In Response To: Re: The term Repatriation to Africans is no Semant (yan)
Yan wrote: "I hope we do not have to go over the nature of these Boards, which was well spoken about and published."
It just seems like there are many prevading anti-rasta overtones here.
1) Most rasta are pro bible but there seems to be a anti-Christ anti-bible vibe.
2) Most Rastas support the Imperial Ethiopian Monarchy and there seem to be an anto Imperialist anti monarchist vibe here about how hoity toity selassie was, hobb nobbing with the rich + ignoring the poor.When in fact HIM met with his people almost daily hearing their cases and plights starting his day at like 4am.
There's a smearing of the concept of One Love One Blood Inity etc as "hippy dippy head in the clouds crap" When in fact thses are rastafar ideals put forth by our elders such as Ras Michael and The late Ras Pidow Mortimo planner etc and they are being soiled by negative slants.
"No one ever stopped different views on Rasta or Rastafari from being reasoned here. "
I think there are many people silenced and gone for some diff views.
"I disagreed with your comments and attempt to trivialize this reasoning."
Thats your opinion and right of course
"Is repatriation to Africa a 'special' kind of repatriation when it involves Rasta? "
Obviously, Rastas take our name from rastafari , so out focus would be on Ethiopia and the land he set aside for us.
"Maybe to some because to them it includes the missionary component, but I know other Rastas who are quite different."
There's a myriad of Rastas just as any other faith
some place more importance on things than others.
"How is it now 'not Rasta' to talk about Africa as a whole?"
It's not. but it IS rasta to focus on Ethipia and specifically Shasha.
"Wasn't it Bob Marley who sang 'Africa Unite'?"
One of My favorite lps.
"Who really is trying to perpetuate divisiveness, especially among Africans?"
I see divisiveness upon some of the basic the tenets of Rastafari on a board names Rastafari Speaks.
"Are you now saying it is not appropriate on a Rasta board to talk about all African issues, and ones are 'not Rasta' if they do?"
Again i'm saying on a rasta board focusing on Ethiopia and Shashamane (IN MY OPINION)isnt out of line or some kinda diversion
"I am sure there are many Rasta boards available, maybe you would feel happier there, and then you would not have to be made uncomfortable by all these pesky pro-Blacks, Blacks."
There are over 100 rasta boards i have a page of most of them archived but its against this boards Rules to post a competitors URL so i'll just say to anyone interested to do a search for rasta linx
I don't feel uncomfortable with Pro-black folks
I am a member of a Pro-Black faith. I do have a problem with people who need to step on others to boost themselves up.. whatever their color.
"I hope the rest of the readers on this board take note of your post and gain an appreciation for the concern Blacks have shown over this issue. Leave it to some whites, and the only "Africa" which is of any concern is a romanticized 'Ethiopia'. "
I hope the rasta readers of this board start posting again and have the freedom to rejoin this board and speak their minds.
ras a
Posted By: yan
Date: Wednesday, 21 April 2004, at 10:43 p.m.
In Response To: The term Repatriation to Africans is no Semantics (ras adam simeon)
Ras Adam said: "1) Most rasta are pro bible but there seems to be a anti-Christ anti-bible vibe."
Well Ras Adam, I have not noticed you spending lots of time bigging up the Bible, only when you want to discredit the African concerns reflected on this board. Rastas hold a vast variety of views on the Bible, Selassie, the merits of physical repatriation, ganja, and a whole lot of other things. The one thing that seems never to change about Rasta, as much as ones may like it to, is the emphasis on historical justice for Africans at home and abroad. This is the theme of so much of the reggae music that ones apparently listen and dance to, without understanding the significance and pervasiveness of that single emphasis.
Views expressed here by people other than moderators are very diverse on the Bible, the divinity of Selassie, and other 'religious' issues.
Ras Adam said: "2) Most Rastas support the Imperial Ethiopian Monarchy and there seem to be an anto Imperialist anti monarchist vibe."
Well I am glad you said most, and I am not most Rastas. I see Rastas here post on many different things without a problem.
Ras Adam said: "There's a myriad of Rastas just as any other faith some place more importance on things than others."
This is exactly MY point.
Ras Adam said: "I think there are many people silenced and gone for some diff views."
I am addressing an issue here, and your right to post your views were never infringed. So what if some don't like Pro-African views, and choose to leave? That should not make Black Africans fearful to freely express informed views, especially in a Black African Movement. Are you implying that the few Black Africans on this board must give way to you and or other White 'Rastas'? Are you implying that we should some how join you, and focus on a narrow-minded version of African concerns to be part of OUR African community?
Ras Adam said: "There's a smearing of the concept of One Love One Blood Inity etc as "hippy dippy head in the clouds crap..."
The idea that the concept of 'One Love' is 'smeared' here is ridiculous. People who mindlessly mouth those words, thinking they cover 2000 years of history, are challenged to meditate on what 'One Love' really means, and what kind of reasoned discussion between blacks and whites must take place before we can even begin to achieve that.
I suppose it is more comfortable to visit a website where none of these issues are ever discussed, and people are perfectly free to do that. It seems like it is always whites who take it on themselves to decide what is and is not Rasta, who say it's 'racist' and 'divisive' to reason on issues important to Blacks, and then to say they are a member of a pro-Black faith', a statement no one is supposed to question.
Many Rastas quietly and privately struggle with many ideas. Others struggle in public. What is the threat of a presentation of the diversity of views on this topic? People understand that word 'God' or 'Jah' in many different ways. Is Rasta an organized religion or Christian cult so it cannot tolerate questions?
Posted By: Ayinde
Date: Wednesday, 21 April 2004, at 11:31 p.m.
In Response To: The term Repatriation to Africans is no Semantics (ras adam simeon)
This is one topic on this board (there should be many more) and like always when the issues involved Race as it affects Black Africans or any other Pro African concern, you and just a few others try to question the operation of the site or the credibility of the moderators.
You and a handful of Whites get on like you feel the site, and boards should operate to suit your interest. I strongly oppose that, and your ongoing attempt to use our concern to promote you or your preferred charity. You have attempted to hijack this one discussion, and distorted much along the way. To me that is quite dishonest. The issue is “Whites and Repatriation” on this thread, and you already voiced your disagreement with some of our positions, and I personally STRONGLY disagree with your views. I also disagree with your ongoing attempts to distract from the main issue, and your deliberate attempt to drag the operations of the site into disrepute in an attempt to solicit support.
- Whites and Repatriation
April 17, 2004 - By Ayinde, Ras Adam Simeon, Ayanna
- Which white privileged position?
April 18, 2004 - By Jahvier
- Re: Whites and Repatriation
April 19, 2004 - By Ayinde, Ras Adam Simeon
- The term Repatriation to Africans is no Semantics
April 21, 2004 - By Yan (Ayanna), Ras Adam Simeon
- Rastafari and its African context
April 22, 2004 - By Ras Tyehimba
- Thinking about Repatriation
July 05, 2004 - By Ayinde
The archived thread for this reasoning:
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